Domestic violence " Entitlements " !

Domestic violence is a sad fact of life that happens when many relationships break down.  It can range in severity to the exchange of insults to near death bashings, and in some cases the actual ending of another persons life is the final outcome.

Now it has become the subject of a new " Employment Rules " policy being considered by New South Wale's 152 councils, and if accepted, will be applied to their 50,000 employees.

This will be a new " entitlement " that grants up to an additional five days annual leave - when all other leave avenues are exhausted.   It will enable the victim to seek medical treatment, seek legal advice and if necessary attend court, and this support will be enhanced by the employers responsibility to screen incoming phone calls and emails, remove the employees details from any council literature and ensure that staff parking is secure or move the employee to another work site.

Most people have sympathy for those exposed to domestic violence, but once an arrangements becomes an " entitlement " it becomes just another drain on the ability of the employer to manage their business - and it's finances.

When universal " sick leave " laws were first envisaged they were hailed as a a " humanitarium measure ", but it didn't take long for a small percentage of the work force to exploit them fully - and meticulously exhaust these " days off "  in each calendar year.

As things stand, many employers are generously supportive of staff subjected to domestic violence and bend over backwards to give assistance, but there is a deep gulf between voluntary acts of benevolence - and writing that into the employment code as an " entitlement ".

If this enters the rules and regulations that apply to council employees, it it inevitable that there will be pressure to extend it to state and Federal awards - and the unions will seek it's inclusion in awards pertaining to the private sector.

We need to think long and hard before we enact another example of " entitlement creep " which is adding to the business costs which make this country uncompetitive on world markets.